Capsule handling apparatus



Jan. 9, 1945. s. E. VAN TUY'L 2,366,886 A CAPSULE HANDLING APPARATUSFiled Nov. 20, 1942 3 Sheets- Sheet l Jill 672301 w 1 6 m w w a "m w m 5F/ QM 1L 6 S. E. VAN TUYL CAPSULE HANDLING APPARATUS Flled Nov 20 1942Jan. 9, 1945.

Jan. 9, 1945. s. E. VAN TUYL 2,366,886

CAPSULE HANDLING APPARATUS I Filed NOV. 20, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IIIeasily removinga series of capsules from a i Figure l is a perspectiveview of the successive layersbroken away;

Patented Jan. 9, 1945 NT OFFICE American Tag Company, Chicago, 111., acorporation of Illinois 'ApplicationNovember 20, 1942, SerialNo. 466,231

6 clai srlcizoe-s) This invention relates .to capsule handling apparatusand-more particularly to; apparatus for holding capsules of varioustypes during transit and for removing the capsules from theholdingmeans. l .One of the objects of the invention is to provide capsulehandling apparatus which is sim- Figures 13 and 14 are partial enlargedsections similar to Figure 12 illustrating two steps in the unloading ofa tray; and.

Figure 15 is a perspective section of thetray substantially on the linel2l2 of Figure 11.

The handling apparatus of the present. in-

vention comprises, first a tray in which capsules ple and extremelyinexpensive to manufacture 1 and yet which provides an efficient [andsecure holding means for capsules of various types.

of various types may be carried and handled conveniently, and, second anunloading device coop- Another' object of the invention is to provide acapsule tray in which a. series ,of. capsules may be yieldingly heldagainst spilling or the like.

Still another object of the invention is .to provide a capsule tray inwhichthe ends of the capsulesmay readily beexposedfor inspection.

A further object of the inventionis to pro vide capsule handlingapparatus includinga tray yiel-dingly. gripping the capsulesandunlcading meanscooperating with the tray for removing the capsulestherefrom. I

A still further object of the invention isto provide capsule unloadingmeans for quickly and tray or the like in which they; are supported.

Q The above and other objects] and advantages of the inventionwill bemore readily apparent from the following descriptionwhen read inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in whicha capsule trayaccording to theinvention; 1

Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 with the covers of the tray open;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tray with Figure 4 is a perspective.viewwith parts bioof capsulesin the tray;

ken away and in section showing-the mounting Figure 5 is an enlargedpartial section through one of the capsule holding openings in thevtray;

Figure 6 is a partial plan viewlooking from the bottom in Figure 5asindicated by the arrows Figure '7 is a. viewsimilar t'o F ig ure 5 ofan alternative construction; A

. Figure 8 is a plan view looking from the bottom in Figure 1 asindicated by the arrows 3-8;

Figure 9 is a partial section illustrating the manner of loading acapsule into the tray;

Figure 10 is a section on theline Hi -l0 of Figure 9;

Figurell is a plan view of an unloading device with a tray in positionthereon;

Figure 12 is a section on the line l2 |2 of Figerating with the tray toremovefthe capsules therefrom.

The invention is particularly useful I in cona nection with thehandlingof small detonator caps f for various types of ammunition, but it canalso i i be employed for handling small size shells as well as capsulesof various other-types. u

The tray as illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 com: prises ablock Ill formedof a series of lamina.-

tions I I of chipboard or thelike, secured together in face to facerelation to providea blockof the.

Idesired thickness. In the block illustrated, four laminations ofchipboard are employed but itwill be understood that for-heavier blockseither more or thicker laminations might be used.

The laminations l I are formed with registering openings to providecylindrical openings l3fe1ctending completely through the block of asize slightly larger than the capsules to be supported.

This is best seen, for example, in Figure 5, in which a capsule I4 isshown in place inone of the openings I 3 with clearance around thecapsule, V

Inorder to support thecapsules in the openings yielding gripping meansare provided to engage the sides of the capsules and hold themyieldingly in place. As shown, such means are formed by a flexible sheetof paper or the like desirable information relating to the capsules.When the covers are closed as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the oppositeends of thecapsules are pro-- 1 .sules. l l The opposite sidesof theblock may be covered.

by hinged covers I! connected to the block by a strip of adhesive tapeor the like I 8 in the 15 secured between the two central laminationsand having openings therein registering with the openings [3 butofsmaller diameter than the capsules M. The sheet is formed with aseries of slitsor notches l6 around the sides of the openlng four suchnotches being shown in the embodiment. of Figures 1 to 6. This providesthe notches profour flexible tongues between jectinginto the openings 13to support the capform of a book. If desired, one or both of the coversmay be ruled as indicated in Figure 1 for suitable indicia to receiveinspection or other tected and for inspecting the ends of the capsulesthe covers may be separately opened to permit free access to thecapsules.

In loading the tray, the capsules may be forced into the openings in theblock to engage the projecting tongues formed by the sheet I so that thetongues will be bent slightly as indicated in Figure 5 yieldingly togrip the sides of the capsules. In this way, the capsules are yieldinglyheld in place in-the block against accidental displacement and againstany severe shock due to dropping and the like.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative construction, parts thereincorresponding to like parts in Figures 1 to 6 being indicated by thesame reference numerals. In this construction the central laminations II are formed with openings 19 of larger diameter than the openings inthe outermost laminations to provide an enlarged portion in the centralpart of the openings I3. The sheet 15 intersects this enlarged portioncentrally so that the tongues formed in the sheet can be of greaterlength without requiring the entire openings through the block to be ofexcessive size thereby to provide greater flexibility in the tongues.Also, as shown in these figures, the sheet I5 is'formed with a pluralityof slits or cuts 2| around the opening so that the tongues form asubstantially continuous support for the capsules. M r

' As best seen in Figures 9 and 10, when the capsule is originallyplaced in the opening it tends to be supported by the edges of thetongues formed by the sheet l5 and a slight pressure must be exerted onthe capsule to deform the tongues as the capsule enters the opening.

The unloading means for removing the capsules from the tray is best seenin Figures 11 to 15 and comprises a flat plate 22 carrying a series ofpins or projections 23 having conical tapered upper ends as shown at 24.The plate carries around three sides guide flanges 25 leaving the fourthside open. The guide flanges, as best seen in Figures 12 and 15, haveguide surfaces .26 at right angles to the plate extending outwardlytherefrom a distance at least as great as the length of the pins 23above the plate and preferably in excess thereof. Above the guideportions 26 the flanges are formed with outwardly flaring guide surfaces21 merging into the surfaces 26 for guiding a tray properly againstthese last-named surfaces.

In using the unloading device, a tray filled with capsules has both ofits covers i'l folded back to open position as shown in Figure 12 andthe block is then placed against the guidesurfaces and presseddownwardly toward the plate. The pins are so related to the guidesurfaces that each pin will register with one of the openings It in theblock so that as the block is forced downwardly as indicated in Figure13, the upper reduced ends 24 of the pins will engage the capsules andforce them from the block as shown in Figure 14. It will be noted fromthis figure, that the pinsare of such a length as to press the capsulesbeyond the flexible sheet l5 to insure that they will be fully releasedfor free removal, but are not long enough to damage the flexible tonguesformed by the sheet.

Preferably the pins 23 are loosely mounted in bores in the plate 22 withreduced stems projecting into the bores and enlarged head overlying theplate to fprm the projections thereon. In this way, the pins can easilyand quickly be changed I to, pins of different lengths for use withtrays holding capsules of diiferent lengths.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown and describedin detail, it will be understood that these embodiments are illustrativeonly 'and are not intended as definitions of the scope of the invention,referencebeing had vfor this purpose to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A capsule tray comprising a block formed with a series of openingstherein adapted to receive capsules, and means in each of the openingsforming a series of coplanar flexible tongues intermediate the ends ofthe openings with their ends spaced apart a distance less than thediameter ofthe openings yieldingly to grip thev capsule.

2. A capsule tray comprising a block formed of a plurality oflaminations and having a series of openings therein adapted to receivecapsules,

and a' sheet interposed between adjacent laminations having openingsregistering with and of smaller diameter than the openings in theblock,-

the sheet being slit around the openings therein to form a series offlexible tongues yieldingly to grip the capsules.

3. A capsule tray comprising a block formed with a series 'of openingsextending completely therethrough and adapted to receive capsules,

and hinged covers overlying the opposite sides of the block.

4. -A capsule tray comprising a block formed with a series of openingsadapted'to receive capsules, the openings having enlarged portionsintermediate their ends, and'means in the enlarged portion of eachopening forming a series of coplanar flexible tongues'yieldingly to gripthe capsules.

5. A capsule tray comprising a block formed of a plurality oflaminations and having a series of openings therein adapted to receivecapsules,

openings therein to form a series of flexible tongues yieldingly togrip'the capsules.

6. A capsule tray comprising a block formed by a series of laminationssecured together face i to face and having registering openings therein,the openings in two adjacent centrallaminations being of larger diameterthan the openings in the other laminations, and a flexible sheet securedbetween the two central laminations and having openings therein ofsmaller diameter than the openings in the laminations and registeringwith the openings in the laminations, the sheet being slit around theopenings therein to form flexible tongues yieldingly to grip thecapsules.

7 SIDNEY E. VAN TUYL.

